Something different: The Barong

Status
Not open for further replies.
Hey there sweetcostarica, nice vid. :)

I happen to have a barong (not sure how old it is). It used to belong to my late dad.

I haven't used it except to 'paper cut' and 'leg hair shave' test. Crazy sharp! Hehe.

Here are some pics:

IMG_4117.jpg


IMG_4149.jpg


IMG_4177.jpg


IMG_4184.jpg


IMG_4175.jpg


IMG_4170.jpg


IMG_4172.jpg


IMG_4173.jpg


IMG_4131.jpg


IMG_4123.jpg


IMG_4125.jpg


IMG_4121.jpg


IMG_4179.jpg


Cheers! :D

nepki
 
Last edited:
I have a couple, one a traditional knife, and a CS barong machete. In agriculture, they function similarly to a machete, but with a pointy tip. I just used my CS version to cut down a bunch of last year's fennel stalks in the yard. The stalks were hard enough that I used them for garden stakes, pounding them into the ground with a 3 lb sledge. The CS barong went through them easily.

In the self defence arena, the barong can slash like a machete, but thrust with the point as well. It, like many dual-use tools/weapons, has minimal hand protection for the user. For such weapons, be they barongs or khukuris, the holder is more vulnerable to having his hand sniped at, and he does not have the parrying options available that even a minimal guard makes feasable.
 
sweetcostarica said:
Some of my friends are from the Philippines and recommended the Barong for camping and self-defense.
I wonder if they are bias? [/URL]
Click to expand...

SCR,

I'm sure they are biased, but probably with good reason. I'm fascinated by the array of ethnic blades I've seen. We all have favorites, but common sense tells me that a tool/weapon design lasting decades or centuries has something going for it. Otherwise it wouldn't have endured. It looks like a useful blade for the reasons Howard mentioned. It's certainly designed to not slip from your grasp while swinging! I enjoy seeing these different types of knives. Often it seems the local favored blade is/was the most basic tool for existence of the populace, at least in the past or in less industrialized areas. These original "survival" tools really make me wonder about what it was/is like to live in the exotic lands from where they came. My only complaint with this wide range of styles is that I want them all:) Thanks for posting.
 
Truly, your father's Barong is a work of Art that inspires amazement. Handmade, created by a master no doubt, the scabbard and blade are perfect examples of what I see especially in Philippine weaponry. Which is functional pieces of art.
Thanks nepi :thumbup:
 
Last edited:
Howard Wallace said:
In the self defence arena, the barong can slash like a machete, but thrust with the point as well. It, like many dual-use tools/weapons, has minimal hand protection for the user. For such weapons, be they barongs or khukuris, the holder is more vulnerable to having his hand sniped at, and he does not have the parrying options available that even a minimal guard makes feasible.
Click to expand...
Good point Howard but I think the people of Southeast Asia fought in a diffident way when they used guard-less weapons. Most of these tools are design for slashing/chopping. Their training with them must have had techniques that minimized the clear risk of cutting their fingers off while thrusting (if they did trust at all with them). But this my opinion.

jdk1 said:
We all have favorites, but common sense tells me that a tool/weapon design lasting decades or centuries has something going for it. Otherwise it wouldn't have endured. It looks like a useful blade for the reasons Howard mentioned. It's certainly designed to not slip from your grasp while swinging! I enjoy seeing these different types of knives.
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, the Philippine people especially have a wide array of weapons to use on the farm or on the battlefield. Part of the reason for this is that in the past many nations tried (some succeeded) to conquer this country. Like the Spanish conquering explorer Magellan in 1521, who lost his life in a battle while attempting to make a landing in Punta Engano. Punta Engano is the north-eastern corner of Mactan Island.
Chief Lapu Lapu.jpgferdinand magellan.jpg
Death of Magellan.jpg
Ferdinand Magellan was killed with one of these Filipino weapons by Chief Lapu-Lapu. If I did not like the Kukri so much I would use one of the Philippine weapons like this Barong or maybe a Pira. Below link is a Pira in action.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfGx4wkjJbY
 
sweetcostarica said:
...Good point Howard but I think the people of Southeast Asia fought in a diffident way when they used guard-less weapons. Most of these tools are design for slashing/chopping. Their training with them must have had techniques that minimized the clear risk of cutting their fingers off while thrusting (if they did trust at all with them). But this my opinion.
...
Click to expand...

Indeed they did fight in a different way. You'll note the current techniques of escrima (from the Spanish word for fencing) emphasise close fighting in the inside ranges. It is mandatory to get into this range if confronting a fencer with a weapon with superior parying ability. Otherwise you will be pecked to death slowly from the long range. Another difference was the use of makeshift protection. This came in the form of binding the weapon to the hand (arnis de mano or harness of the hand), or binding the areas for protection from sniping attacks.

The major danger to the hand is not that it will slip forward during a thrust. Rather, the opponent will intentionally cut the hand.
 
Howard Wallace said:
The major danger to the hand is not that it will slip forward during a thrust. Rather, the opponent will intentionally cut the hand.
Click to expand...
Touché.

It is ironic that this move, the cut to the hand was in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back and everyone who has seen the movie remembers that part.
hand cut.jpg
 
I wasn't sure who the choreographer was, thanks. Somehow I get the feeling Howard Wallace is or was a fencer.
fencing 1.jpg
Picture is of the "cut to the hand" technique
 
the barong was used to deadly effect during the moro insurrection against the US Army in 1899-1913 (and against the spanish earlier). there were instances where a jurementado attacking an american soldier cut him in two at the waist with one before he was cut down. this was the main reason the front line troops asked their families to send them .45 colts to replace the puny .38's that were army bean counter issue, and which led to the .45acp.

things haven't changed much, we're fighting islamic terrorists with .38's again.
 
That's right kronckew. This is a good historic point to bring up and shows how effective Philippine weapon are.
You are also correct in that we haven't learned a thing from history in the hand gun department.
Current British Army Issue pistol: Browning L9A1 9mm
Current United States Army pistol: Beretta 92 9mm

Below is an excellent article in PDF on this very topic:
http://www.morolandhistory.com/Related%20Articles/Legend%20of%20Colt%2045.pdf

Of note: I believe only Special Forces can use larger caliber pistols like the 1911 45ACP.
 
steve ferguson, my much younger twin brother, is the king of gunongs, and his barong/kris are also to die for. he owns ALL the good ones.

except one.

this one is mine, mine i say. mine. no you can't have it. mine.
P8010027_8_9Enhancer.jpg
 
The craftsmanship on the handle of Nepki and your Barong is outstanding. It also seems that the scabbards (like Nepki's) are carved just as nicely. This is one of the attractions for me to the tool/weapons of SE Asia.
Moro Barong.JPGmoro weapons, island of mindanao.jpgphilippines.jpg
My other attraction is, like a woman, they are beautiful yet deadly.
As we have talked about their history, here's a list of the blade types:
the Kris, Barong, Pira,
Panabas, Kampilan,
Bangkon, Banyan,
Gayang, Laring, Lahot,
Utak, Susuwat, Janap,
Kambantuli, Binakuko,
and Pinsawali.
These numerous blades are just from the Moro of southern Philippines. There are other Northern Philippine Blades, Visayan Blades, Sansibar Swords of Leyte, there are Knives & Daggers, Impact Weapons, and Igorot Tribal Weapons (The Igorot are Head Hunters :eek:).

So if you want to know who the Mother of all cold steel culture is? It is the Philippines, period.
 
Hey kronckew you have an interesting avatar. What is it's meaning? That is if you don't mind me asking.
I see you're from the UK is it a popular cartoon there?
question.jpg
 
i drew the avatar picture myself. i had two greyhounds, my male, Blue (he was a blue brindle), passed away about a year and a half ago, his friend, millie (white with dark brindle patches) is still with me, she's 12 now. i added the wings to blue after he passed over the bridge with the valkyries. here's a silly pajama picture of them in better days.
doggiepyjamas002.jpg


...and in their undress doggie costumes
doggies.jpg


'cave canem radix lecti' is latin for 'beware the couch potato dogs'. greyhounds are often referred to as 45mph couch potatoes. the 'semper paratus' is the USCG motto, 'always ready'. i was a USCG officer for 5 yrs active, 7 years active reserve, and on inactive standby reserve since (since i got too old to go shoot stuff). family is from alabama (hence the CSA Consulate ref), i've lived here in the UK last 20 years or so after leaving saudi. wife (now ex) was english.
 
Last edited:
Beautiful dogs. Thanks for the insight into your avatar and motto you have given us all.
 
thanks. millie is a retired racer (professional name was balto millenium) with a distinguished career, placed in the money on over 2/3 of her 80 races. Blue i got as a pup, he never raced, he was picked up by the Reading police & turned over to the shelter. they suspect he was a traveller's (gypsy's) rabbit dog in training & escaped. he sure liked chasing rabits, fox, deer, etc.

the small print

Dic, hospes Spartae nos te hic vidisse iacentes,
Dum sanctis patriae legibus obsequimur

are sort of my main motto. for those who do not know, they are the latin translation of the words inscribed on the tomb of the greeks at thermopylae:

View attachment 270222

ὦ ξεῖν᾿, ἀγγέλλειν Λακεδαιμονίοις ὅτι τῇδε
κείμεθα τοῖς κείνων πειθόμενοι νομίμοις.

oh, traveller passing by,
go tell the spartans that here we lie
obedient to our orders.

or in the words of another who shall not fade away - duty, honour, country.

the coast guard's unwritten motto is 'you have to go out, you don't have to come back'.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top